14 black & white illus. 36 unnumbered pages. Irregularly shaped small 4to (200 x 200 mm.), die-cut corners (spine faintly rubbed), staple-bound. [Chicago]: The University of Chicago Library, 1986.

An important exhibition catalogue as well as reference work on artists’ books. This catalogue was designed by the book artist Buzz Spector (b. 1948), and his pencil notes for the mock-up have been reproduced in this final version. Jeffrey Abt, the organizer of the exhibition, writes in an insightful essay: “The contemporary artist’s book…represents an evolution of the book’s use from a vehicle for text and its illustration to an artistically... More

Many black & white illus. 199 pp. 4to, pictorial softcover (text block loose), title on spine. Barcelona: Metrònom, 1981.

Scarce catalogue on artists’ books, with texts by Ulises Carrión, Hubert Kretschmer, and Guy Schraenen, who all assisted in the organization of the exhibition. With numerous installation photographs and reproductions of the books on display. A fair copy; text block has come loose and some leaves loose. More

Many color illus. 110 pp. 12mo, orig. yellow cloth (a little soiled), title-label to upper cover. Bremen: Edition Temmen, 1994.

An interesting catalogue of artists’ invitations of the 20th century. Edited by Karlheinz Kopanski and Karin Stengel. Near fine; marks to the yellow cloth. More

Several illus. Unpaginated. Small 8vo, accordion format housed in a transparent plastic jacket. Halifax, U.K.: 1998.

The scarce inaugural catalogue for this artists’ books fair coordinated by Chris Taylor and John McDowall. This fair, as were the subsequent iterations, was held at the Dean Clough Galleries in Halifax on 16 May 1998. In the Introduction, Taylor writes: “The Artist’s Book Fair aims to establish a provincial focus for practitioners and publishers outside the capital’s arena; to raise a greater awareness and appreciation from a wider audience; to open up a discourse on the possible limitations that the Artist’s Book genre... More

25 finely color-printed double-page woodcuts. 25.5; 15; 21.5 folding leaves. Three vols. 8vo, orig. semi-stiff wrappers, orig. block-printed title-slips on upper covers, new stitching. [Edo]: 1853-54.

First edition of this finely illustrated book, which rarely appears complete in all three volumes. The “Kyōka Edo Hanabi Senryō has sub-titles that show the sort of specialization that was associated with the three leading Utagawa artists. Volume One by Hiroshige, entitled ‘Nihonbashi Section,’ consists mainly of views of central Edo, figures, in some prints, threading their way through the hanging curtains of calligraphy showing the second floor of a brothel; Volume Two, by... More